MVCAC September 2008

mvcac@lists.osenergy.org

4 participants
7 discussions

Re: [MVCAC] Energy meeting
by duane330＠aol.com 24 Sep '08

24 Sep '08

JOHN. YES, THERE IS A DEFINITE NEED FOR SOME REPRESENTATION BY ONE OR MORE ORGANIZATIONS THAT CAN PRESENT SOME OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL CONSIDERATIONS. I WILL TRY TO GET A FEW THINGS TOGETHER FROM THE MON-VALLEY CLEAN AIR COALITION. PLEASE CONTACT THE ORGANIZERS AND SEE IF WE CAN GET TWO OR THREE PEOPLE ON THE AGENDA FOR AT LEAST FIVE MINUTES EACH, TO PRESENT SOME ENVIRONMENTAL CONSIDERATIONS. OTHERWISE THE BIAS IS EXTREME. YOU CAN DEFINITELY BE OF HELP IN PREPARING SOME MATERIAL. THANKS FOR SENDING THIS OUT, DUANE. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> (((((Logos for the coal forum and the WVU NRCCE appear as letterhead))))) October 2008 On behalf of the West Virginia Coal Forum and West Virginia University’s National Research Center for Coal & Energy, we would like to extend an invitation to you to attend an energy forum to be held from 1:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday, October 15, 2008 at the WVU National Research Center for Coal & Energy in Morgantown, West Virginia. There is no fee to attend. The purpose of this forum is to expose civic, legislative, research, and opinion leaders in West Virginia to Imagine West Virginia’s “Coal: Energy, The Environment & West Virginia Policy Recommendations” and to facilitate discussion on coal’s role in our state and nation’s energy strategy. Speakers include: Congressman Mollohan (invited), WVU President Peter20Magrath, Imagine West Virginia Board Member Pat Getty, WVU Vice President for Research Curt Peterson, NETL Principal Deputy Director Ralph Carabetta, UMWA President Cecil Roberts, West Virginia Division of Energy Director Jeff Herholdt, and others. The event will include three parts, which include: - Comments by elected officials; - Presentation by Imagine West Virginia outlining their study recommendations; - Panel discussion on the Imagine West Virginia report and coal’s position in state and national energy policy. You can find additional information on the West Virginia Coal Forum at www.wvcoalforum.org. You can learn more about Imagine West Virginia and their report at www.imaginewestvirginia.com. Please RSVP by emailing your name and organization name to rsvp(a)wvcoalforum.org by Friday, October 10, 2008. We appreciate your consideration and hope to see you on October 15, 2008. Respectfully, Joel Watts Administrator WV Coal Forum Fred Tucker Chris Hamilton Co-Chairman, WV Coal Forum Co-Chairman, WV Coal=2 0Forum United Mine Workers of America West Virginia Coal Association >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> -----Original Message----- From: John Balasko <mjmb(a)westco.net> To: Duane Nichols <duane330(a)aol.com> Sent: Tue, 23 Sep 2008 10:23 pm Subject: Fw: Energy meeting Duane, Did you get this invitation? Should the Sierra Club or someone else ask for time at the "table?" I will help work on a presentation if you think that would be wise? The following statement is troubling to me! IMAGINE WEST VIRGINIA is an independent, objective policy research and development entity...... is an independent, objective policy research and development entity...... John www.imaginewestvirginia.com/ENERGY.pdf

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Trail Is Dead
by Julieann F. Wozniak 23 Sep '08

23 Sep '08

>Power line plan killed >Allegheny Energy won't put it through Greene, Washington >Tuesday, September 23, 2008 >By Janice Crompton, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette > >Allegheny Energy is abandoning plans for a high-voltage line through Washington and Greene counties, according to the terms of a settlement agreement reached yesterday. > >The agreement between the Greensburg-based utility and Greene County officials halts plans for a controversial 37-mile, 500-kilovolt power line from North Strabane in Washington County, to Dunkard, Greene County. > >In exchange, Greene County commissioners have agreed to support a companion project which includes a new electric substation and a 1.2-mile transmission line from Greene County to West Virginia, where the line would continue 240 miles into Virginia. > >West Virginia has approved the $1 billion project, and Virginia is expected to do so as well. > >Terms of the agreement, hammered out last week, include a payment of $750,000 to Greene County and other provisions from the company, which sought a compromise after two state Public Utility Commission judges recommended against every phase of the proposal due to lack of need and other considerations. > >The agreement may end more than 18 months of bitter feuding that pitted property owners and officials against Allegheny Energy. The terms of the deal are contingent on final project approval by the PUC before Feb. 16, 2009. > >Along with the financial settlement to Greene County, the company has agreed to return easements to the dozens of property owners in both counties who would have been affected by the line, many of whom sued the company in recent months, claiming that the easements, obtained decades ago, were no longer valid. > >The agreement leaves out Washington County officials, who say they were presented with the pact on Friday, then asked to approve it by yesterday. > >Washington County commissioners Larry Maggi and J. Bracken Burns said they were left out of what they call the "backroom deal" and won't support the agreement, although they, too, were offered $750,000 for Washington County. > >They wonder why their counterparts in Greene County have so readily approved the agreement while the PUC judges harshly criticized the plan, calling the 1.2-mile segment in Greene County a profit-driven attempt to ship "cheaper coal-fired generation" along an "energy superhighway" to the east. The judges said they also saw no need for the 36-mile Pennsylvania segment of the line. With language like that, it's unclear whether the PUC will honor the settlement agreement. > >The commission will review the agreement to determine if it's in the public interest, said spokeswoman Jennifer Kocher. > >"It didn't smell right -- the whole deal," said Mr. Maggi, who said signing the agreement would have nullified the argument that the power line isn't needed either regionally or locally. > >"The agreement in essence says that the argument we've advanced for the past two years is wrong," Mr. Burns said. > >Allegheny Energy has said the Pennsylvania portion of the project is needed to avoid local power interruptions in the next few years, but a grass-roots citizens' group and other property owners were able to convince the PUC judges that it wasn't so. > >Other terms of the agreement require Greene County and other local officials to help form a study group to identify potential new alternatives to the high-voltage line, such as demand-side management, energy efficiency programs and physical upgrades to existing lines, including new substations, transmission infrastructure, and possibly up to 10 miles of new 500-kilovolt lines in Washington County. There would be no new lines in Greene County. > >The company also has agreed not to seek federal intervention for the project if the PUC denies its application. According to the Energy Act of 2005, the federal government has backstop authority to approve transmission projects even if they are denied by states. > >Members of the grass-roots Energy Conservation Council of Pennsylvania said they are still reviewing the agreement, of which they also were not a part. > >They have questioned the wisdom of entering into such a pact after the PUC judges gave them good reason to hope that the company's application would be denied. The five-member PUC panel may or may not adopt the recommendations of the judges. > >Mr. Burns said he saw nothing in the agreement that would preclude the company from proposing different high-voltage lines in Washington County. Under such circumstances, it's unfair to taxpayers to enter into such an agreement, he said. > >"My values aren't negotiable and my principles don't have a price tag," he said. >Janice Crompton can be reached at jcrompton(a)post-gazette.com or 724-223-0156. >First published on September 23, 2008 at 12:00 am

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Historic announcement, historic alliance
by Duane330＠aol.com 19 Sep '08

19 Sep '08

GE, Google Boost Efforts For Improved Power Grid By _JEFFREY BALL_ (http://online.wsj.com/search/search_center.html?KEYWORDS=JEFFREY+BALL&ARTIC…) , _PAUL GLADER_ (http://online.wsj.com/search/search_center.html?KEYWORDS=PAUL+GLADER&ARTICL… SER=bylineAND) and _JESSICA E. VASCELLARO_ (http://online.wsj.com/search/search_center.html?KEYWORDS=JESSICA+E.+VASCELL… AND) Wall Street Journal, September 18, 2008. _General Electric_ (http://online.wsj.com/public/quotes/main.html?symbol=GE) Co. and _Google_ (http://online.wsj.com/public/quotes/main.html?symbol=goog) Inc. said they will jointly ramp up their efforts to prod the U.S. government to upgrade the nation's electrical-transmission lines so that the grid can better accommodate more renewable energy. Both companies sell technology that would benefit from an improved grid. GE has built one of the world's biggest wind-turbine businesses over the past few years, and Google makes computer software it says could help facilitate the introduction of more renewable energy to the U.S. grid. The announcement comes as Congress is considering separate legislation that would open new areas in the U.S. to oil drilling and renew federal tax credits for wind and solar energy that are due to expire at the end of the year. GE Chief Executive Jeffrey Immelt and Google CEO Eric Schmidt called on Congress to continue the renewable-energy tax credits. Wind energy was the second-biggest source of new electrical capacity in the U.S. last year, behind only natural gas, according to the American Wind Energy Association, a trade group. Still, wind power provides only about 1% of total U.S. electricity. Taking into account the benefit of the tax credit, the per-kilowatt-hour cost of wind energy has dropped over the past five years from about 15 cents to about eight cents, Mr. Immelt said, adding: "That makes wind very competitive with coal." But the tax credits have been short term, requiring Congress to renew them frequently. That has led to a boom-and-bust cycle in the wind industry that advocates say has hampered greater growth. Mr. Immelt has largely staked his legacy on GE's clean-energy efforts, a push the company calls "Ecomagination." The company has said revenue from that effort will grow to $25 billion in 2010, up from $6 billion in 2004, with products ranging from hybrid locomotives to wind turbines. Google hopes renewable energy can help it lower the costs of running its data centers, one of its greatest expenses. To that end, the Internet search giant has invested tens of millions of dollars in wind and other renewable-energy technologies. Last year, the company said it would invest hundreds of millions of dollars from its corporate and nonprofit arms in businesses working toward generating cheaper electricity. Beyond the tax credits, Messrs. Immelt and Schmidt said their companies will work together to lobby for government policies to expand the electrical grid to accommodate more renewable energy. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Google, GE to work together on green energy _By Elise Ackerman, San Jose Mercury News_ (mailto:eackerman@mercurynews.com?subject=San Jose Mercury News: Google, GE to work together on green energy) Article Launched: 09/18/2008 08:02:46 AM PDT Google and General Electric announced Wednesday that they would work together to push the development of renewable energy. The companies said they would team up to lobby the federal government to modernize the electrical grid and collaborate in the development of technologies for plug-in vehicles and geothermal energy. "We are trying to make renewable energy cheaper than coal energy," Google co-founder Larry Page said at a news conference Wednesday afternoon. The partnership was unveiled at Google's annual Zeitgeist conference, a two-day think-fest where Google's business partners are invited to Mountain View to discuss global issues with leaders such as former vice president Al Gore and Mexican businessman Carlos Slim, as well as celebrities including Leonardo DiCaprio and Forest Whitaker. Against a backdrop of continued financial turmoil, Google's leaders said their business was in good shape and unlikely to experience a direct impact from the current crisis. "The company has a large amount of cash in very boring investments," Chief Executive Eric Schmidt told reporters. As of June 30, Google had $16 billion in cash and securities and other current assets. Schmidt said Google plans to move ahead with a previously announced deal to provide search-advertising services to Yahoo, despite scrutiny by regulators in the United States and Europe. Schmidt said that his company had anticipated there would be objections to the deal, and that it is carefully structured to comply with antitrust regulations. "We have probably not explained it well enough," he said. Advertisers have expressed concern that the pact would lead to an increase in the cost of advertising brokered by Google. Page pointed out that the price of advertising is not set by Yahoo or Google but in an auction where advertisers decide what an ad is worth to them. <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< **************Looking for simple solutions to your real-life financial challenges? Check out WalletPop for the latest news and information, tips and calculators. (http://www.walletpop.com/?NCID=emlcntuswall00000001)

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Climate Changes, from Science magazine
by Duane330＠aol.com 13 Sep '08

13 Sep '08

Extreme Behavior Global warming is expected to have a large effect on the amount and distribution of precipitation, with wet areas projected to become wetter and dry areas drier, and an overall increase in total rainfall. Another important aspect of these predicted changes is the frequency of extreme rainfall events, because the impact of a few heavy rain events is very different from that of many more moderate ones. Allan and Soden (published online 7 August) use satellite observations and model simulations to evaluate how climate warming is affecting the frequency and strength of rain events. Heavy rains are occurring with increasing frequency when it is warm and less often when it is cold, and these extremes are happening more frequently than models have suggested they should. This implies that the impacts of precipitation changes due to global warming could be greater than have been assumed. ____________________________________ **************Psssst...Have you heard the news? There's a new fashion blog, plus the latest fall trends and hair styles at StyleList.com. (http://www.stylelist.com/trends?ncid=aolsty00050000000014)

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Re: [MVCAC] US-EPA Considers Non-Attainment
by James Kotcon 05 Sep '08

05 Sep '08

This is a pretty important issue. The WV-DEP and local business leaders will cry a river about how unfair this is. But to protect the health of people in Monongalia County, we should urge EPA to implement the designation, and act quickly to require reductions in pollution emissions. We should also urge our locqal County Commission and City leaders to support the designation, because people should not have to hold their breathe waiting for cleaner air. Jim Kotcon >>> <Duane330(a)aol.com> 09/04/08 8:33 PM >>> US.EPA.REGION THREE. NOTE: All of Monongalia County in West Virginia and portion(s) of Greene County in Pennsylvania have been under consideration for "non-attainment" status for fine particulate loadings, i.e. PM-2.5. See the following web-site: _http://www.epa.gov/pmdesignations/2006standards/rec/region3.htm_ (http://www.epa.gov/pmdesignations/2006standards/rec/region3.htm) >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> URGENT..............................URGENT..............................URGENT ....................URGENT EPA TO TAKE PUBLIC COMMENT ON AREAS TO BE DESIGNATED FOR FINE PARTICLE POLLUTION STANDARDS EPA is opening a 30-day public comment period on its recommendations for areas to be designated as out of compliance with the agency's 24-hour fine particle standards. On Aug. 19 and 20, EPA notified states and tribes of its recommendations for areas to be designated as "attainment" or "nonattainment" for fine particle pollution (PM2.5). Exposure to fine particle pollution is linked to a variety of serious health problems, including aggravated asthma, chronic bronchitis, nonfatal heart attacks, and premature death. States and tribes have an opportunity to respond to EPA's recommendations, and provide new information or analyses if appropriate. EPA will consider those responses, along with the public comment, before making its final decisions. EPA must issue final designations by Dec. 18, 2008. EPA will accept public comment for 30 days after a notice is published in the Federal Register. Instructions for submitting comments are available at _www.epa.gov/pmdesignations_ (http://www.epa.gov/pmdesignations/) . **************It's only a deal if it's where you want to go. Find your travel deal here. (http://information.travel.aol.com/deals?ncid=aoltrv00050000000047)

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US-EPA Considers Non-Attainment
by Duane330＠aol.com 05 Sep '08

05 Sep '08

US.EPA.REGION THREE. NOTE: All of Monongalia County in West Virginia and portion(s) of Greene County in Pennsylvania have been under consideration for "non-attainment" status for fine particulate loadings, i.e. PM-2.5. See the following web-site: _http://www.epa.gov/pmdesignations/2006standards/rec/region3.htm_ (http://www.epa.gov/pmdesignations/2006standards/rec/region3.htm) >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> URGENT..............................URGENT..............................URGENT ....................URGENT EPA TO TAKE PUBLIC COMMENT ON AREAS TO BE DESIGNATED FOR FINE PARTICLE POLLUTION STANDARDS EPA is opening a 30-day public comment period on its recommendations for areas to be designated as out of compliance with the agency's 24-hour fine particle standards. On Aug. 19 and 20, EPA notified states and tribes of its recommendations for areas to be designated as "attainment" or "nonattainment" for fine particle pollution (PM2.5). Exposure to fine particle pollution is linked to a variety of serious health problems, including aggravated asthma, chronic bronchitis, nonfatal heart attacks, and premature death. States and tribes have an opportunity to respond to EPA's recommendations, and provide new information or analyses if appropriate. EPA will consider those responses, along with the public comment, before making its final decisions. EPA must issue final designations by Dec. 18, 2008. EPA will accept public comment for 30 days after a notice is published in the Federal Register. Instructions for submitting comments are available at _www.epa.gov/pmdesignations_ (http://www.epa.gov/pmdesignations/) . **************It's only a deal if it's where you want to go. Find your travel deal here. (http://information.travel.aol.com/deals?ncid=aoltrv00050000000047)

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Feds withdraw funding for Western Greenbrier Cogeneration Plant
by Paula Hunt 04 Sep '08

04 Sep '08

This story appeared in the Chas. Gazette (click below for link): ><http://wvgazette.com/latest/200809030382>Feds pull out of >Greenbrier<http://wvgazette.com/latest/200809030382> power plant project >Charleston Gazette - Charleston,WV,USA >Federal officials have quietly pulled the plug on funding for >construction of the proposed Western Greenbrier Co-Generation plant. ... ..................................... I checked the Dept of Energy's Fact Sheet http://www.netl.doe.gov/publications/factsheets/project/Proj223.pdf and it says at the bottom of page 2, "Status: The Western Greenbrier Cogeneration Project was discontinued on June 14, 2008." The Gazette implies things were a bit weird. It says, "DOE dropped the project in mid-June, less than two months after they formally approved a loan of up to $107.5 million, according to federal records. The DOE action also came just a month after developers had obtained private funding to help complete a critical engineering report for other private financiers. DOE had never publicly announced the move, but agency officials confirmed the action in an e-mail statement Wednesday." The story goes on to say, "Wayne Brown, a spokesman for Western Greenbrier, said that a reporter's phone call was the first he heard of the DOE decision. "Well, that's news to me," Brown said. He added that the project's future seemed dim, given the lack of DOE money." Toward the end the story says, "Earlier this year, one local bank refused to continue extending payback dates for Western Greenbrier, and the state EDA [West Virginia Economic Development Authority] had to pay the $3 million of the loan it guaranteed, said David Warner, director of the EDA." So I guess that puts the State on the hook for $3 million.

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MVCAC September 2008